Showing papers in "Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship in 2016"
TL;DR: The Ebooks Accessibility Project evaluated the major accessibility features of 16 of the most popular academic e-book platforms in academic libraries and found that single-publisher platforms, such as Gale, Palgrave, and Springer, offered more accessibility features than aggregators like ProQuest and ACLS Humanities.
Abstract: With the increasing prevalence of e-books in academic library collections, faculty and librarians have begun to express concern regarding the accessibility of these digital texts for students with ...
21 citations
TL;DR: Data librarianship is a reemerging field within academia as mentioned in this paper, one that has sparked the creation of new positions that run the gamut of data curation, big data, and open data.
Abstract: Fueled by the advent of big data, open data, and data curation, data librarianship is a reemerging field within academia—one that has sparked the creation of new positions that run the gamut of dat...
14 citations
TL;DR: A campuswide quantitative survey was used to supplement two librarians' annually interviewed and directed usability studies with undergraduate students to determine how students interact with academic e-books.
Abstract: Starting in summer 2011, two librarians at Wesleyan University annually interviewed and directed usability studies with undergraduate students to determine how students interact with academic e-books. In 2014, the librarians used a campuswide quantitative survey to supplement these longitudinal qualitative findings. While students are increasingly using e-books as resources, their facility with them has not increased at the same rate. Students continue to encounter issues with interface designs as well as the ability to easily control and manipulate their own copies. These quantitative and qualitative findings have proven important in local collection development practices as well as library instruction initiatives.
14 citations
TL;DR: The authors discuss the long-term accumulation of unstandardized and inaccessible content within the Libguides system and the decision-making process to create and implement a set of standards using the migration to the LibGuides2 platform as a vehicle for change.
Abstract: The authors discuss the long-term accumulation of unstandardized and inaccessible content within the Libguides system and the decision-making process to create and implement a set of standards using the migration to the LibGuides2 platform as a vehicle for change. Included in the discussion are strategies for the creation of standards and compliance, in particular, the provision of editorial and supervisory review and accountability for content within the new structure. The article includes an extensive review of the literature surrounding LibGuides content best practices as well as documentation and checklists used in the authors' organization to begin the clean-up process.
14 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors introduce the concept of makerspaces, experimental and innovative spaces within libraries that bring together people, to bring people together, to learn, to collaborate, and to collaborate.
Abstract: This book is all about makerspaces, one of the hot topics and services in librarianship right now. Makerspaces are experimental and innovative spaces within libraries that bring together people, to...
12 citations
TL;DR: The transition from information on paper to digital access as mentioned in this paper has been studied in nine chapters, and multiple contributors evaluate the current state of the transition from Information on Paper to Digital Access.
Abstract: In nine chapters, multiple contributors evaluate the current state of the transition from information on paper to digital access. In the first stages, information went directly from paper to parall...
9 citations
TL;DR: A campus-wide online survey was conducted to gather data on faculty, staff, and student e-book needs and preferences to ensure that its users' information needs are being met.
Abstract: Libraries are making great efforts acquiring, maintaining, and promoting electronic book (e-book) collections; therefore, understanding what preference users have regarding e-books will help with c...
9 citations
TL;DR: The ERM Ideas and Innovations column is from Jodi Hoover, Digital Media Librarian, Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery, at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Abstract: This issue's ERM Ideas and Innovations column is from Jodi Hoover, Digital Media Librarian, Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery, at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Jodi discusses the impo...
7 citations
TL;DR: This article will explore the acquisitions process through the lens of workflow theory to optimize productivity and transparency, while minimizing confusion and redundancies.
Abstract: The work of Electronic Resources Management (ERM) is broad in scope yet detailed in nature. One of the key functions of ERM in academic libraries is the acquisition of new resources to support stud...
7 citations
TL;DR: The assessment of services, activities, and programs designed to demonstrate value and highlight the impact of libraries is critical and much needed as discussed by the authors, and we must know what our students are learning; we...
Abstract: The assessment of services, activities, and programs designed to demonstrate value and highlight the impact of libraries is critical and much needed. We must know what our students are learning; we...
6 citations
TL;DR: The University of Mississippi (UM) offered liberal arts instructors the opportunity to apply for internal funding to replace one traditional textbook in their classroom with a free-to-student resource as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Providing financial incentives to faculty who adopt free educational resources in place of traditional textbooks is becoming more common in U.S. higher education institutions. The University of Mississippi (UM) offered liberal arts instructors the opportunity to apply for internal funding to replace one traditional textbook in their classroom with a free-to-student resource. The researcher used a survey to capture instructors' perceptions of free educational resources while preparing their new syllabus. Results from the survey are summarized and their implications for the local library and libraries at large are discussed.
TL;DR: The Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library as discussed by the authors used the Get It Now article delivery service as a substitute for initiating new journal subscriptions over a 3-year period, from 2012 to 2015.
Abstract: With journal price increases continuing to outpace inflation and library collection funds remaining stagnant or shrinking, libraries are seeking innovative ways to control spending while continuing to provide patrons with high-quality content. The Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library reports on the evaluation, implementation, and use of Copyright Clearance Center's Get It Now article delivery service as a substitute for initiating new journal subscriptions over a 3-year period, from 2012 to 2015.
TL;DR: This study presents the rapid prototyping approach and the iteration and ranking processes used to develop the automatic crawling system that will constitute self-sustaining continuing education resources for the cataloging and metadata community.
Abstract: This study is a part of the larger project that develops a sustainable digital repository of professional development resources on emerging data standards and technologies for data organization and management in libraries. Toward that end, the project team developed an automated workflow to crawl for, monitor, and classify relevant web objects into searchable professional development categories. In this study we present the rapid prototyping approach and the iteration and ranking processes used to develop the automatic crawling system. In its final form, the repository will constitute self-sustaining continuing education resources for the cataloging and metadata community.
TL;DR: Whether technical communicator is a useful model for electronic resources (ER) librarians and the personal qualities of versatility and flexibility required of them is explored.
Abstract: This article explores whether technical communicator is a useful model for electronic resources (ER) librarians. The fields of ER librarianship and technical communication (TC) originated and continue to develop in relation to evolving technologies. A review of the literature reveals four common themes for ER librarianship and TC. While the technical communicator model does not capture all aspects of ER librarianship, it does highlight the key communication roles played by ER librarians and the personal qualities of versatility and flexibility required of them. Suggestions for further research at the intersection of ER librarianship and TC are presented.
TL;DR: The authors argued that library patrons can never get enough of a good thing, and there seems to be an emerging consensus in academic libraries that patrons want a broader selection of e-books and they wa...
Abstract: Library patrons can never get enough of a good thing—or can they? Of late, there seems to be an emerging consensus in academic libraries that patrons want a broader selection of e-books and they wa...
TL;DR: In this article, the impact of digital acquisitions in an academic setting during a highly transformative period of library practices is analyzed, finding that both electronic and print books are valuable to the academic research community at the Graduate School of Education (GSE).
Abstract: The shift from physical materials to digital holdings has slowly infiltrated libraries across the globe, and librarians are struggling to make sense of these intangible, and sometimes fleeting, resources. Materials budgets have shifted to accommodate large journal and database subscriptions, single-title article access, and, most recently, e-book holdings. This analysis measures the impact of digital acquisitions in an academic setting during a highly transformative period of library practices. The study finds that both electronic and print books are valuable to the academic research community at the Graduate School of Education (GSE).
TL;DR: This book is a must read for anyone involved in academic librarianship and in academic research and is an alternative indicator, more highly responsive layer added to traditional research metrics.
Abstract: According to the editor, Andy Tattersall, this book has two main objectives: to provide both practical and theoretical information regarding the topic of altmetrics. Altmetrics is a word that many have heard of but few understand; it is the use of research artefact-level metrics on scholarly formats like journal articles, book chapters, posters, and data sets, and it is an alternative indicator, more highly responsive layer added to traditional research metrics. The Introduction/Chapter 1 gives an overview of the topic and short descriptions of each chapter. Chapter 2 discusses the historical connections of altmetrics with social media, focusing on the Internet and the development of various altmetric platforms. Chapter 3 is a history of traditional scholarly metrics, how they developed, and some of the challenges and issues that have followed them. Chapter 4 then examines the evolution of library metrics, including bibliometrics, and illustrates some of the exciting possibilities that altmetrics bring not only to libraries and academia but to grant funders and publishers as well. Chapter 5 looks at the recent history of altmetrics and its importance in the academic environment as well as key players in the marketplace. Chapter 6 specifically focuses on the Mendeley altmetrics platform and its potential for discovering previously unseen data on published research and using it in new ways. Chapter 7 provides practical advice to academic faculty and librarians on using altmetrics in their organizations, while Chapter 8 describes a mix of case studies and altmetric tools, including About.me, Academia.edu, Facebook, Google+, LabRoots, LinkedIn, Mendeley, Piirus, ResearchGate, Twitter, and many others. Chapter 9 examines the increasingly important topic of postpublication peer review and the role that altmetrics can play in this new area. Chapter 10 discusses the opportunities afforded by smart devices and altmetric tools, which is a rapidly developing technology. Chapter 11 tackles open peer review, a hot topic within academia. A number of platforms are currently available, including F1000Research, Open Review, PeerJ, Peerage of Science, PLOSONE, PubMed Commons, Publons, PubPeer, ScienceOpen, and The Winnower. In the Conclusion, the editor provides a list of key points that every academic faculty member and librarian needs to understand regarding altmetrics and its current challenges and opportunities. This book is a must read for anyone involved in academic librarianship and in academic research.
TL;DR: In this paper, Arndt, author of Getting Started with Demand Driven Acquisitions for E-Books: A LITA Guide, notes that libraries have always sought to purchase materials that users want.
Abstract: As Theresa S. Arndt, author of Getting Started with Demand Driven Acquisitions for E-Books: A LITA Guide, notes, libraries have always sought to purchase materials that users want. Barbara Quint's ...
TL;DR: The main objective of the DIL (Data Information Literacy) Project and hence the book, Data Information literacy: Librarians, Data and the Education of a New Generation of Researchers, was to answer...
Abstract: The main objective of the DIL (Data Information Literacy) Project and hence the book, Data Information Literacy: Librarians, Data and the Education of a New Generation of Researchers, was to answer...
TL;DR: Animated maps of the library stacks were integrated into the catalog interface at Pratt Institute and into the EBSCO Discovery Service interface at Illinois State University to assess how well the feature helps students to locate items throughout the library.
Abstract: Animated maps of the library stacks were integrated into the catalog interface at Pratt Institute and into the EBSCO Discovery Service interface at Illinois State University. The mapping feature was developed for optimal automation of the update process to enable a range of library personnel to update maps and call-number ranges. The development and implementation process for both institutions is discussed. Usability testing was conducted at Illinois State University to assess how well the feature helps students to locate items throughout the library. Researchers found that students are able to use the feature to successfully navigate through the stacks, but initially they have trouble locating the feature in the interface.
TL;DR: Poynder, R. (2011).
Abstract: A description of a library's participation in a project to create locally produced Open Educational Resources (OERs) for use in specific classes is offered. Included is a general description of the...
TL;DR: This paper focuses on the early adopters of ORCID functionality enabling recognition of peer review in institutional repositories and its implications for the future of Open Researcher and Contributor ID.
Abstract: The Repertoire International des Sources Musicales (International Inventory of Musical Sources, known as RISM) is a large, international, nonprofit organization that documents musical sources world...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors highlight key points in the process of collaboration, creation, and assessment of a digital collection intended to be used initially as a classroom tool, in addition to being a model of digital scholarship that can be used for research from anywhere in the world.
Abstract: This article will highlight key points in the process of collaboration, creation, and assessment of a digital collection intended to be used initially as a classroom tool, in addition to being a model of digital scholarship that can be used for research from anywhere in the world. This project originated from a class assignment for a course in Physical Education. Collaborators include a faculty member, two librarians, digital scholarship staff, a digital initiative coordinator, and student assistants.
TL;DR: These applications have a multitude of uses for researchers doing archival research, and by making patrons aware of these new scanning apps, it may help them organize and keep their documents all in one place without taking users out of their “comfort” zone.
Abstract: The four phone apps I tested each had their own quirks and contradictions that would probably restrict their uses in an archive (such as camera flash), but overall they each gave crisp, clear scans in a variety of formats and delivery methods. Genius Scan is an app that can quickly scan documents and export them as JPEG or PDF files. I use this app themost, but I also tested the popular Camscan as well as two applications specifically created to interface with two different popular cloud programs, Microsoft’s Office Lens and Evernote’s Scannable. Using programs such as OneNote, a digital notebook, is a much more common occurrence in the last five years, and it naturally means developing applications for your phone to work with these programs. I used OneNote to write this article. Some patrons may just be getting comfortable using flash drives to store files; but by making them aware of these new scanning apps, it may help them organize and keep their documents all in one place without taking users out of their “comfort” zone. Microsoft’s Office Lens is the proprietary application to be used with OneNote and other Microsoft products, but like all of the apps discussed here there is some flexibility in how documents are transported. For instance, when a document is scanned with Office Lens, the application gives the option to save it to any of Microsoft’s other applications such as Microsoft Word and also as a PDF. If a document is shared using the phone’s share option, it will show all of the options that have been previously used to share permissions. An example of permissions would be who you would share your scans with on Evernote, using Scannable. Unfortunately, as of this writing the Scannable app by Evernote was not as fully explored as the others; a good recommendation would be to use the Evernote Scan app only if the Evernote notekeeping system is being used primarily for organizing and archiving scans of these types. The other feature I was concerned about was OCR; when a person needs to quote or cite the text, being able to pull that information from a scanned page is a great plus for researchers. Camscanner, for example, recognizes text from the photo of a book cover. This could be really useful for collecting text to use with a reference management software program such as the proprietary RefWorks program, or open source management software such as Mendeley. Citing sources is a valuable literacy skill for patrons young and old, and these applications can help tremendously. As mentioned earlier, these applications have a multitude of uses for researchers doing archival research. Special collection libraries are very particular about how they want their collections handled, so a conventional flatbed scanner may not be as practical for creating digital scans as a phone scanning application; the difference is the ability to take a high-resolution photo and then manipulate the objects within, while physically handling the archival materials minimally. Aword of caution; however, all of these apps have the capability of using flash, which should be turned off when used in archives.
TL;DR: By streamlining workflows, designing usable interfaces, and ensuring universal access to information, technical services librarians can facilitate an information environment where researchers focus less on the tools to retrieve information and look more to the evaluation, organization, creation, and dissemination of information.
Abstract: to researchers how dynamic the creative process can be (Association of College and Research Libraries, 2016), limited only by imagination. By streamlining workflows, designing usable interfaces, and ensuring universal access to information, technical services librarians can facilitate an information environment where researchers focus less on the tools to retrieve information and look more to the evaluation, organization, creation, and dissemination of information.
TL;DR: Gamification in libraries is a hot topic and as mentioned in this paper provides an introduction and many ideas for reaching out to one's patrons and offering services in this area, and the first two chapters provide...
Abstract: Gamification in libraries is a hot topic, and this book provides an introduction and many ideas for reaching out to one's patrons and offering services in this area. The first two chapters provide ...